Lorikeet Care

Faculty of Avian reptile & exotic pet hospital Veterinary Science lorikeet - general health care

Introduction Australia has some of the world’s most beautiful lorikeets. The most commonly kept pet lorikeets include the Rainbow Lorikeet, Red-collared Lorikeet (a northern variety of the Rainbow), Scaly-breasted Lorikeet and Musk Lorikeet.

Lorikeets are very intelligent, they can be excellent vocalists and can learn to do tricks. Their calls can be relatively loud and they have frequent watery droppings. DIET HOUSING Many of the diseases that we see on Lorikeets can be kept in a larger a regular basis in lorikeets can be cage inside, or can be kept in a avoided with the correct diet and aviary outside during the day and be feeding practices. Lorikeets are nectar brought in at night. Some people keep feeders and do not eat dry seed. their birds in aviaries all the time and Formulated lorikeet mixes can be never bring them into the house. fed dry, wet and as ice cubes. Feed a good quality lorikeet food, changing it twice daily to prevent bacterial and Aviaries should be clean and dry and fungal contamination. Good hygiene protected on 3 sides. Natural eucalypt practices such as washing feed and branches are ideal for perches and water bowls with hot, soapy water lorikeets love to destroy the bark daily will reduce the incidence of covering them. The doweling wood disease. Placing water and feed bowls perches lead to bruising and sores on up high and above perches will reduce the bottom of a birds feet. contamination with droppings. Do not use rope toys as birds may A variety of fruit should be provided chew on these and gastrointestinal on a twice daily basis. This can be impactions can develop. Ensure that frozen on skewers and hung in the all metal is stainless steel. Staples, bag cage or fed fresh. Native Foliage: ties, nails, screws and wire contain bottlebrush, grevillea, banksia, heavy metal and birds should not have eucalypts can be given on a daily basis access to them as these can cause to provide nutrition and behavioural heavy metal posioning. enrichment. Pelleted diets specifically designed for lorikeets can be a Do not house birds near kitchens beneficial addition to a varied diet but or open fires where there could be should not be the only food source. smoke, gas or cooking fumes. Provide clean water daily and provide a larger container to give your bird the opportunity to bathe regularly. Ensure your lorikeet has access to a calcium source such as grit, cuttlebone, a calcium bell or chalk stick. Do not feed avocado or rhubarb leaves or lilies as they are toxic. Make feeding interesting and entertaining by using foraging toys to supply food to your

Rainbow Lorikeet lorikeet. (Trichoglossus haematodus) Behaviour and training Purchasing Lorikeets require a lot of social Ideally, start by choosing a healthy interaction. Single birds require 45 young lorikeet from a recommended minutes of direct contact time and 3 breeder. Choose a bird that is active hours of indirect contact time per day. and alert. A healthy baby bird will have bright, sparkling eyes that are wide open and free of any discharge. Positive reinforcement techniques Check the bird’s plumage to make should be used to gain your bird’s sure that it is bright and clean. Check trust. Ideally, all family members the bird’s nares and cere for signs of should take part in training and play infection. Observe the bird’s living time. You want to teach your bird conditions. The bird’s enclosure to be part of a flock and develop should be clean and free of built up successful relationships based on trust faeces or other potential havens for with different family members. Food bacteria. rewards can be used as part of training to achieve a ‘step-up’ and ‘step-down’ behaviour on to the hand. This can Ask the specific age of the bird, how then be built on to ask for behaviours their birds are housed and what they such as coming in and out of the cage. are fed. Ask whether the bird was parent fed or hand fed by spoon or crop tube and whether it will require Do not carry your bird around on further hand feeding. your shoulder. This puts them into a situation where aggressive behaviour such as biting may be elicited as you attempt to remove the bird from your Disease prevention shoulder. Remember a relationship Take your pet lorikeet to the vet for with a bird (a prey animal) is based a health check every year. The first on trust. A first time bird owner will check will be the most detailed and benefit greatly from attending a should be done within a week of behaviour and training consultation. purchase. The vet will tailor health This usually begins at the new bird and disease testing for you and your exam. There is a range of books and bird and will follow up any specific CDs which can help increase your problems identified on physical knowledge about bird behaviour and examination. Staff can also answer training. questions on diet, housing and training for your bird.

Behavioural enrichment techniques based on foraging for food and Screening tests for internal parasites, playing with toys which encourage fungal and bacterial disease as well as problem solving will help make testing for psittacosis and psittacine the bird physically and mentally beak and feather disease, are healthy , reducing the chances of the recommended. development of feather destructive behaviour and obesity.

for more information contact Faculty of Veterinary AVIAN REPTILE & EXOTIC PET HOSPITAL Science 415 Werombi Road Camden NSW 2570 T 02 4655 0798 F 02 4654 6762 E [email protected] W www.avianreptileandexoticpethospital.com.au W www.sydney.edu.au/vetscience/wildlife_conservation/hospital